TheJudge13 contributor, Dane Hansen, guides you through what is expected to be one of the most anticipated times of the F1 calendar – Launch Season. This is the first post of a staggered series which will list launch dates and more.

McLaren – 21 February

What to Expect: Last year Ron Dennis rejected the unanimous cries for a retro McLaren-Honda look. Instead, the design techs opted for a “predatory look“, accompanied by a clumsy snub nosed model. Who would have thought “Size Zero” could be so…unattractive? This year we have hopes that his graphics team can muster up something that can match their legacy, and not last season’s pace. There are no clues, all we can hope for is something different.

Technically Speaking: All quiet on the Woking front, apart from ‘allegedly’ working through Christmas. Although McLaren faces its third consecutive year without a title sponsor. Having lost Hugo Boss and Tag Heuer as sponsors at least it’s sister Company can boast a rise in sales, but is that enough to plug the budget gap or is Honda still bankrolling 2016? Yasuhisa Arai and Eric Boullier both agree they understand the nature of their technical problems, and if rectified, the car could perhaps challenge for the odd win. Their Spanish Samurai claims 2 or more (at least Alonso agrees on some things with his bosses). Mclaren are also confident in their revolutionary Size Zero design which has not been scrapped for this season.

For almost a year now, Woking management has consistently dished out comments like these, as if dressing a rather obvious pimple in makeup, and one that Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button are asked to proudly bear.

Should they correct their obvious niggles, they understand that their car could become substantially more competitive.

2015

Haas – 21 February

What to expect: At their first pre-D-Day event before March 20th in Melbourne, the American outfit will be a focal point to the F1 eye. Not much can really be assumed here, aside from the fact that some months ago, Gene Haas hinted at the absence of a yellow team in Formula One (since 2005 and 2010 with Jordan and Renault respectively). Yet, since Renault’s most recent induction, coming into the sport this year, the French brigade could return in yellow once again. Will Haas have to change his colour pallet, or will he even need to change it at all? We’ll see in the latter weeks of February.

Technically Speaking: Having Ferrari as the surrogate father to a confident Haas team, Gene has full intentions of contending within the midfield arena. Not only is he sure his drivers and car will deliver, but Mr. Haas could act as stable owner for pedigree drivers, awaiting the call up to the front-lines… that being Ferrari.

Haas got off to a good start in 2016 by passing their crash test. Their technical partnership with Ferrari should also give them some great insight into what they ought to expect come their first season.